Facebook had blocked the account of YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, known for his unabashed criticism of the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, on Sunday. However, it was unblocked on Monday after Rathee and others pointed out the arbitrariness of the action.
Thanks a lot for your support guys! Just opened Facebook and they have restored my account and removed the block.
Also, thank you @facebook for the prompt action and admitting the mistake! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/yueIuzqxTv
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) March 18, 2019
Sharing the information about the blocking, Rathee had said, “Today, @Facebook banned my account for 30 days. What a coincidence that elections are 30 days away also and what a coincidence that my engagement rates are one of the biggest in India, competing with BJP’s top propaganda pages, including Modi’s official page.” Rathee shared screenshots of Facebook engagement metrics for India, where his page ranks fifth, with close to 3 million people engaging with it.
Today, @Facebook banned my account for 30 days.
What a coincidence that elections are 30 days away also and what a coincidence that my engagement rates are one of the biggest in India, competing with BJP’s top propganda pages, including Modi’s official page. pic.twitter.com/aVECxhT4NE
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) March 17, 2019
In another tweet, Rathee had said the reason as cited by Facebook for blocking him was that one of his posts went against “community standards.” In said post, he had shared screenshots of an online encyclopaedia’s pages discussing Hitler’s biography Mein Kampf.
Rathee had added that his account is blocked despite complete absence of any abusive words or any form of irreverence. “Is educating people about Hitler through Britannica encyclopaedia against FB’s standards?,” he tweeted.
The reason they banned the account is because they say following post goes against community standards ????
But in this post,
– Not a single abusive word
– Not a single disrespectful wordIs educating people about Hitler through Britannica encyclopedia against FB’s standards? pic.twitter.com/xpxMatCbeX
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) March 17, 2019
Advocate Karuna Nandy had asked if Facebook was influencing Indian elections by silencing a prominent critic of the ruling party. She also pointed out that Facebook’s community standards and ‘arbitrary takedowns’ are subject to laws
Is @facebook India trying to influence elections. @kirthigareddy, arbitrary takedowns and community standards are still subject to law. https://t.co/zSj4XvfgU1
— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) March 17, 2019
Others on social media had also questioned the move.
Taking a jibe at the prefix “Chowkidar” that the Prime Minister and BJP leaders have added before their names on their social media accounts, a user tweeted “I never knew it was “Chowkidar Mark Zuckerberg!!”
I never knew it was “Chowkidar Mark Zuckerberg”…????????
— Niranjan M (@Niranjan_Madan) March 18, 2019
Community for them means Narendra Modi
— Abdul Lateef (@mirlateef891) March 17, 2019
This should be investigated by @facebook. Banning a Modi critic account just a month before the elections – for a month – smells of conspiracy & foul play.
More power to @dhruv_rathee.
— Chowkidar Chor Hai – Jas Oberoi | ਜੱਸ ਓਬਰੌਏ (@iJasOberoi) March 17, 2019
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